Field
This disclosure is generally related to computer networks. More specifically, this disclosure is related to a network node that creates a virtual interface based on network and/or device characteristics for a set of mutual-listener devices that have a duplex communication with each other.
Related Art
Ad-hoc and multi-hop wireless networks allow mobile devices to communicate with remote devices outside their wireless range, without requiring a fixed network infrastructure. These mobile devices can modify their local network topology as new devices enter their coverage area, or as other devices leave their coverage area. Also, each wireless device can communicate with another device that is outside its direct coverage area by using a path that traverses various network peers.
Some devices in a wireless ad-hoc network have one or more wireless interfaces, such as a Wi-Fi radio or a Bluetooth radio, to communicate with other neighboring devices within its broadcast range. These devices can create a logical interface for each wireless interface, which includes one or more neighbors that the device can communicate with via the wireless interface.
In a Content Centric Network (CCN), a CCN node is not allowed to forward a packet via the same interface that it received the packet. However, it is possible that some of the neighboring devices accessible via the logical interface may not be within each other's broadcast range. Hence, if the CCN node needs to forward a packet between two neighboring nodes, the CCN node may need to forward the packet via the same logical interface that was used to receive the packet, which can have the undesired effect of creating a forwarding loop.
To make matters worse, not all neighbors accessible via a logical interface may be gateways to the some sets of remote network nodes. Hence, forwarding a packet via the logical interface may result in forwarding the packet to a set of neighbors that cannot reach the packet's intended recipient.